Shen Yun Performing Arts has arrived in the nation’s capital, set to give eight performances at the Kennedy Center from Feb. 15 to Feb. 20.
“My goodness! I mean, have you heard the crowd? And no one has left, which for Washington, D.C., is very unusual. People are enjoying it immensely,” said Buddie Joe Penn, former assistant secretary of the Navy during the Bush and Obama administrations. He also briefly served as acting secretary of the Navy.
Penn has watched Shen Yun multiple times over the years. He appreciates the positive energy from the show and says it means more during the pandemic.
“The heart, from the heart, they feel it, and I think the audience feels it as well. I'm elevated,” Penn said. “All is not right with the world, but with the performance, it is. The spirit is high, and you want good things to happen to everyone.”
In two hours, Shen Yun showcases 5,000 years of traditional Chinese civilization. Penn says Shen Yun is on an important mission.
“There's a very strong message they're putting out, they’re responsible for. I see that in this performance. It's very obvious that the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is not the party of choice.”
Shen Yun performed to a full house at the Kennedy Center and will be there for the rest of the week with shows going on until Sunday. Tickets on weekend shows are almost sold out.
